Sunflower Whiskey
by kandy2431
Summary: Melissa just couldn't catch a break at the end of the world until she stumbled across this band of misfit strangers. She had never meant to stay, that's just how it happened. That's how it all started.
1. The Decent Thing

The Georgian heat beat down on Melissa's back, her head covered by a red baseball hat to give her some protection from the sun. She had long since abandoned her plaid button up, opting to tie it around her waist in an effort to keep herself from overheating. She probably was just getting herself a gnarly sunburn.

She adjusted her canvas bag and her machete. She sighed.

Of course her car decided to break down in the middle of the day. Though, she supposed it was better than the middle of the night.

 _At least then it wouldn't be hot as balls._ She thought to herself bitterly.

And onwards she walked, still trying to find somewhere permanent, still trying to survive.

It had been a long couple months for the blonde, though it had been a long couple months for everybody on planet earth, it seemed. The dead coming back to life, everyone getting sick-everyone dying. There were so many dead people. So many things just chomping at the bit to get a bite of flesh. It was all a cruel joke. Melissa could honestly say she used to love watching " _night of the living dead"_. Now it all just seemed like a dream, and she had woken up to this nightmare. Now all she could do was continue on. She had no right clue where she was going anymore. Every time she thought maybe she was catching a break-maybe she would find someone in her family-it was a dead end.

And she kept going. Like she always did. Like she always will.

Weaving between the parked cars on the highway, she kept walking, towards what she assumed was away from Atlanta. She was never good with directions, but she was like, eighty-three percent sure she was headed toward the coast.

Maybe seventy-five. She had no idea. Maps weren't her forte.

It was during her musings that she heard voices ahead. She ignored them at first, deciding that the voices may not belong to friendly folk. As she continued to get closer, though, she saw the voices belonged to two men, one an aged old guy who sported a fisherman's hat and a bigger, younger dude who looked like he was in a heap of pain. Melissa paused in her walk, and for a moment considered the couple. She didn't know who they were, where they were from or heck, even if they were decent people. She watched the two for a moment more, considering her options.

She could keep walking, not pay the two any mind.

She could hold the two at gun point and take their supplies.

She could help the man who seemed to be hurt.

She chewed on the inside of her cheek. She knew for a fact she wasn't gonna hold anyone at gunpoint. It wasn't right, it wasn't in her to do that to someone and frankly, she was next to positive that hurt or not, the big guy would take her down, no sweat.

So…keep walking, or help?

Her internal debate lasted a beat, then with a sigh and a 'why am I doin' this?' she decided that, in a world where decency was a foreign language…she decided to be decent.

"You guys need any help?"


	2. Explainations

"So…you were a nurse before or somthin'?"

Melissa looked up from the black man's injured forearm, who she now knew as T-Dog. They had been apprehensive about her help at first, not knowing if she was trustworthy which was good; Mel woulda been worried if there hadn't been at least _some_ hesitation on their part. The world wasn't what it used to be-strangers usually meant bad news nowadays.

They were currently sitting behind the old man, Dale's, RV. To get out of the sun and try to keep cool. Melissa gave a soft chuckle before going back to stitching him up. The injured guy, T-Dog, had managed to get an infection. She had told him as much, and also mentioned that if he didn't get medication or some kind of disinfectant on it, he'd be dead. He didn't put up any fight, or even acknowledge what she was telling him. He looked down right exhausted. He seemed to want to avoid the topic of his injury all together, and started asking her questions.

Melissa gave a soft laugh before answering T-Dog.

"I grew up with three brothers and a mother who was a nurse-I learned how to stitch up a person when I was 10." T-Dog raised his eyebrows at that. He hadn't expected that. Beside the two, they heard the older fellow with the fishing hat-Dale as he had introduced-laugh quietly.

"Sounds like a full house" He stated, squatting down and watching her work. Melissa snorted.

"With three boys and two girls and a dad who loved animals, you could say that." The two men laughed, T-Dog's strained as he fought the urge to flinch again. In the corner of her eye she could see Dale looked as if he had a question on the tip of his tongue, but decided against it. Melissa knew what the question was. She appreciated him not asking it.

Where was her family?

Gone or lost. She sighed.

"So, if you weren't a nurse, what were you then?" T-Dog asked. She understood the twenty questions-anything to get his mind off the pain. Melissa paused mid-stitch.

"College student. I was studying abroad in Europe and had just finished my senior thesis. I had just come back when everything happened."

"What were you studying?" Dale inquired.

"I was tryin' desperately to get my masters in Psychology." T-Dog's eyebrows shot up to his nonexistent hairline.

Before any more questions about her personal life before all this could be asked, Melissa piped up.

"What about you two, what things have y'all done since everything happened?"

The two looked at one another, then looked back over to me. Dale gave an airy laugh and patted T-Dog on the shoulder gently.

"You go on and tell her-may make the time go by faster. I need to go back to fixin' up the ol' RV."

And Dale walked off, going down the road a ways and looking through the engines. T-Dog looked over at Mel, giving her a short look as she kept on with what she was doin'.

"How long do ya got?" He asked. Melissa looked up at him and couldn't help the incredulous look she gave him.

"All the time in the world now."

"Alright then, I guess I should start when we came together at this quarry…"


	3. Nice Arms

"Sounds like y'all been through some shit" Melissa concluded. She had finished with his arm a while ago, and had simply listened to his story. To how everything had happened.

The conclusion was an understatement, though Melissa had no idea how else to put it. T-Dog nodded his head in agreement. Dale had comeback mid-story, had started tinkering with the RV's engine and helped tell the parts T-Dog had missed or had evidently 'not told right'. She sat there, contemplating everything.

The CDC had exploded. Guess that made sense-the one place that may have had an answer that was in Atlanta was blown off the map. These people were just trying to get by, just trying to move along. The little girl going missing seemed to be icing on the cake for everyone.

They seemed to be having her problem. One thing after another seemed to be going wrong.

Footsteps coming toward them from the forest made the trio look up. The group that had gone in search of the missing girl was back. They looked like they didn't have good news.

"Carl's been shot." One of them-an Asian guy a few years younger than Melissa exclaimed. He glanced at the newcomer, all four of them did.

There was a blonde woman, maybe a few years older than Melissa, an older woman with graying hair, a mean looking man with a scowl on his face and the guy who had spoken.

"Shot? What do you mean shot?" Dale exclaimed, hugging a rifle to his chest as he went over to the group.

"I don't know man, all I know is that this crazy chick came riding up like Zorro on a horse and took Lori." The young man continued, hopping over the railing that divided the road and the grass.

"And you let her?" Dale exclaimed, yet again a look of disbelief evident on his face. The man with the scowl scoffed

"Climb up outta my asshole man, Rick sent'er. He knew Rick's name and Carl's." He walked over to the RV and eyed Melissa, who squared up her shoulders. He was shorter, for a guy, but Melissa was small for a girl. They had a staring contest of sorts, and though Melissa didn't get any off vibes from him, she decided she didn't particularly care for his glare.

Didn't mean she couldn't mentally appreciate his arms.

Just mentally.

The door to the RV slammed, making Melissa jump.

"Who the hell is this?" The scowling guy asked, looking over to Dale. T-Dog was the one who answered.

"That's Melissa. She patched up my arm." Melissa looked over to the man, a stern look going over her features.

"I stitched him up is all. That arm is gonna be a hell of a lot more trouble if you don't get something to fight that infection off."

"Are you some kind of nurse?" The other guy asked. Melissa really wished she knew names.

"No, just know how to fix things." Dale stepped up between everybody and started the introductions, as if he could read Mel's mind.

The younger guy was Glenn, the scowling jerk with nice arms was Daryl, the older woman was Carol and the blonde one who had slammed the RV was Andrea.

"…she helped T-Dog, she found us on the side of the road and offered to patch him up."

"And you trusted her?" Daryl asked, one of his eyebrows raised as he pointed his crossbow in Melissa's direction. Dale pursed his lips and gave Daryl an incredulous look.

"Climb up outta my asshole, guy. She helped us, leave her alone."

Melissa rubbed at her arm, eyeing the weapon Daryl was pointing at her warily. She knew it wasn't loaded, and she knew if he wanted to, he would have hurt her by now. But that still didn't mean she appreciated how hostile he was. Glenn made his way over to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, that's Daryl. He's always like that."

"Must be fun at parties."

The others spoke for a moment, Melissa still didn't know what to do really. She knew she should probably leave-that she eventually had to leave. This group didn't need anyone else to worry about. They were talking about how they had to go to the farm that this kid Carl was at. Andrea had returned from the RV after a while, looking more refreshed, but still rattled.

"We can't just leave." Carol, the mother of the little one who was lost. Sophia.

Melissa was really split on whether looking for the kid was worth it. In a world like this, the chances were slim that she was out there still, especially if she had been missing since yesterday. She knew to keep her opinion to herself, but the thought still invaded her mind-still made her wonder how these people held out so much hope for a lost cause. Maybe that was the jaded part of Melissa talking. Maybe it wasn't. She had learned a long time ago that getting your hopes up got you killed.

Dale began to make a fine point, that the group was split and that they needed to come together. Melissa was inclined to agree. She kept her mouth shut and stayed leaned against the RV.

"What if she makes her way back and we're not here?" Carol asked, her voice getting smaller "It could happen." Andrea seemed to agree. Melissa decided to speak up.

"T-Dog desperately needs medical attention- _proper_ medical attention." Melissa said, eyeing everyone in the circle they had formed "The infection in his arm has entered his bloodstream. If he doesn't get some kind of antibiotic in his system soon, he's gonna be in a lot more trouble."

The others looked at Melissa and Daryl walked over to a bike parked near the RV and began rummaging in the bag connected to it, and pulled out a gallon plastic bag filled with all kinds of drugs and goodies.

"Why'd you wait 'til now to say anything" Daryl said, an edge in his voice "I've got my brother's stash"

He plopped the bag onto the hood of a car and rummaged through it, picking through what may be needed, naming off most of what was inside of it. He finally found some pain killers and oxycycline. He threw them to Melissa. She turned them over in her hands and her eyes grew in surprise. Homeboy's brother didn't mess around with a good high. These things'll fuck you up if you take enough. She nodded and went over to where T-Dog was, grabbing a bottle of water from the ground on her way. She still listened to the others as she told the man to take the pills.

"We can wait til' tomorrow, that'd be soon enough to pull up our stakes" Daryl started "Give us a chance to rig up a big sign, lay out supplies for her. I'll hold here tonight, stay here, stay with the RV"

"If the RV is staying, so am I." Dale stated. Melissa heard Carol give a quiet thank you to them. Andrea decided to stay as well.

When Glenn said he'd stay, Dale interjected and told him he should go to the farm with T-Dog, reconvene with the others and come back tomorrow.

"Melissa should go with you." Mel perked up at that, and shook her head.

"I'd rather stay." She said immediately "No offense, but I don't know any of you yet. I don't even know if I'm stayin'" Dale gave her a wide eyed look before answering

"Why wouldn't you? You're alone aren't you?" Melissa pursed her lips and looked down. She didn't need to be reminded. "Stay with us. You'd survive better with company. You've helped T-Dog, you've already proven your worth."

Melissa rubbed her arm. She looked back up at Dale.

"I'm stayin' here tonight, you'll have my answer in the morning."

Dale went to argue, but Melissa held her hand up.

"My answer on whether I'm stayin' or leavin' doesn't matter. What matters is the lost little girl. Focus on that. If I'm gone in the morning, that's one less mouth to feed and one less person to worry about for y'all."

Dale looked at her, so did the others. The older woman, Carol, gave her a thoughtful look, almost appreciative.

Melissa sighed. It was gonna be a long night.


	4. Learning more

Melissa had decided that once the sun went down, she wanted to be on top of the RV.

Heights, though everyone else seemed inclined to hate them, always seemed to be a comfort for Melissa. She had always been the best tree climber of her siblings, she had taken up rock climbing and even had some experience while she was in India for a time in mountain climbing. Being up high, she felt better, felt cleaner. It was a comfort in a way that made her feel like she was flying without physically doing it.

Being up high made her feel free.

Melissa nestled herself into one of the two chairs that were on the vehicle. The others had gone into the RV, Glenn and T-Dog already left in Carol's Cherokee. The cool night's breeze blew through her short hair, a relief from the heat of the day. She could physically feel her shoulders relax, her once tense muscles slacking and giving her a reprieve.

She felt at peace.

The RV doors opening and footsteps coming up the ladder distracted her from her small moment. She looked over and saw Dale coming towards her. He nodded his head in greeting and sat in the seat next to her.

For a moment, they sat in silence. It wasn't awkward, it wasn't comfortable, it was just a silence that hung over them like a ceiling. It was Dale who broke it first.

"Why wouldn't you stay with us, if you decide to leave?"

Melissa looked over at the man and shrugged "I don't know any of you. None of you know me, there isn't really a reason for me to stay."

"For the company, for one thing." Dale said, leaning back in his chair and looking out at the forest in front of them "you'd be better off in a group than on your own, no matter how adamant you are on being alone."

"I'm not adamant on being alone, that just kinda happened." Melissa defended, feeling heat rise to her face and anger start to buzz in her mind.

"You never really explained how that happened?"

"You never asked"

"Well I am now."

Melissa paused, and thought her next words carefully. That was hard to explain.

"It all happened so fast." She started, already feeling the lump in her throat "I…I've lost a lot. The last group I was in…." she stopped. She had no idea how to proceed. She could already feel the raw panic build in her stomach, feel herself shake as she remembered everything that had happened. She hated herself for all of it, for being the one to live.

Survivor's guilt. She knew it well.

"It didn't end well. We ended up getting cornered in Atlanta and I got separated from my friends. By the time I found them, they were torn to pieces and snapping at my ankles."

Dale looked at her for a moment, not sure how to process that. Compared to everyone else, it seemed, his group had been the lucky ones. They had been through shit, but at the end of it they were all still together. He found himself appreciating that a little more now. The older man looked at the blonde and gave her a sympathetic look, putting a hand on her knee.

"You have us now, though." He told her "I know you'll like us if you give us a chance."

Melissa looked at Dale, and put her own hand on top of his, giving it a squeeze. She pursed her lips, still not sure, still not willing to commit to the idea of staying with this group.

But she'd try. If Dale and T-Dog were anything to go by, she'd try.

The small moment of silence was interrupted by the door to the RV being opened, and Daryl walking out.

"Where you goin'?" Dale called out, looking at the man below. Daryl turned and looked up at the two sitting on the roof of the RV.

"I'm going out for a walk, shine a light into the forest just in case. Give'er somethin' to see"

And he began to walk off, before Melissa calling his name stopped him

"I'll go with you!"

"Why?" Daryl asked, watching as she climbed down from the RV "What do you care?"

She gave a shrug of her shoulders, walking passed him, a flashlight in her hand. Daryl gave her a confused look before, with a huff, walking after her.

He brushed passed the girl who managed to stay a mystery to him, and simply said "Keep up" before continuing on.

 **Sorry if it seems like I've been silent with you guys! These chapters were already pre-written weeks ago and I only just now got around to posting them. I just really hope everyone's character is right so far! and between school and work It'll be hard, but I'm working for either an every other day/every two days update schedule until I get all of the chapters I've already written, then it'll be once a week!**

 **I hope...**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and for everyone who has favorited/followed this story, thank you so much! you are all so awesome for giving this little story a chance!**

 **Don't forget to review! They give me LIFE.**


End file.
